PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Concept Laser, a GE Additive company based in Germany, and LAUAK Group, an aeronautical company based in France, have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to launch an alliance that will advance additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry. The agreement was signed at the Paris Air Show.
LAUAK will invest in Concept Laser additive machines as a reference customer for Concept Laser technology. Also, Concept Laser will work closely with LAUAK to implement additive processes and design new products.
“LAUAK sees the potential of additive manufacturing and I’m delighted they’ve chosen Concept Laser equipment to help the company on its journey,” said Frank Herzog, CEO of Concept Laser. “We will support them with equipment, processes, and people to allow them to meet their objectives.”
Concept Laser will support LAUAK during the implementation phase of the equipment into its manufacturing process. LAUAK will also present the Concept Laser machine to reference customers in its showroom, including the presentation of test objects for demonstration purposes. Concept Laser and LAUAK will collaborate to redesign components from the LAUAK portfolio.
Mikel Charritton, CEO of LAUAK said: “We see the huge potential in additive manufacturing and we want to use this technology to complete and improve our current manufacturing processes, as well as the manufacture of new components for the aviation industry.”
Additive manufacturing (also called 3D printing) involves taking digital designs from computer aided design (CAD) software, and building them on an additive machine, layer by layer from metal powder. Additive components are typically lighter, more durable and more efficient than traditional casting and forged parts because they can be made as one piece, requiring less welds, joints and assembly. Because additive parts are essentially “grown” from the ground up, they generate far less waste material. Freed of traditional manufacturing restrictions, additive manufacturing dramatically expands the design possibilities for engineers.
About Concept Laser
Concept Laser is one of the world’s leading providers of machine technology for the 3D printing of metal components. The patented LaserCUSING process – powder-bed-based laser melting of metals opens up new freedoms when it comes to designing parts and systems. Concept Laser currently has the largest laser powder-bed additive machine on the market, the X LINE 2000R. In December 2016, GE acquired a 75% stake in Concept Laser, making it a GE Additive company. GE Additive also holds 76% of shares in Arcam AB, which includes electron-beam additive machine provider ArcamBM, additive material provider AP&C, and DTI, an additive service provider to the medical industry. As a notable user of additive technologies, GE recognizes the value and potential it brings to modern design and manufacturing. www.geadditive.com
About Lauak
LAUAK is a manufacturer of aircraft parts and structures, holding a Part 21 subpart G approval. The company was founded in 1975 and is today one of the major direct subcontractors for detail parts, sub-assemblies and assemblies for the aerospace industry. Key customers are aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Embraer and several major suppliers, including Aernnova, Daher Socata, Liebherr, and Safran. LAUAK currently employs 1,200 people located across five sites. Its know-how is linked to both metal and composites and its industrial performance is renowned among its key customers.
